Holiday Cheer
by ScaryRei
Summary: Written for Ultavilent/ForsakenKalika for the LJ KakaSaku Holiday Exchange.  Mature.  Older Sakura/Kakashi.


Written for Ultavilent (ForsakenKalika) for the LJ KakaSaku Holiday Exchange.

This was her request:

_I'm not like all the other kiddies; no ponies for me. If it's at all possible, could you find it in your heart to write me a holiday-themed fic? I don't mind drabbles and I love multi-chapters, so whatever you can fit into the Giftmas shopping is absolutely wunnerful :)  
__It's cool if it's kid-friendly, better if it's smut, but I just need some help with getting in the spirit._

I tried, I really, really tried. This was the best I could come up with.

There are no ponies here.  
It does involve a holiday.  
It is NOT kid-friendly, not even remotely. There is smut in chapter 2.  
It's the first multi-chaptered anything written by me.

I hope you like it. Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.  
This hasn't been beta'd, I apologize in advance.

A/N: Sakura is older and of legal age in this story.

* * *

December 24th – Sakura grimaced as she glanced at her desk calendar. It was 8:00 pm on Christmas Eve. She was wrapping up her shift at the hospital, taking another look at the patients' charts before heading home. She felt both excited and uneasy. Excited, because she was granted a precious week's worth of vacation time and uneasy, because she had made no plans on how to spend her unexpected time off. She had gotten so accustomed to working non-stop that she really didn't know what to do with herself for a whole week. Her parents were out of town. Her teammates were unavailable as well. Naruto was spending the holidays with Hinata, while Sai, Yamato, and Kakashi were away on a mission. Ino was busy with her family's business and she didn't feel like volunteering her time at the Yamanaka Flower Shop just to spend some time with her friend. Perhaps getting caught up on reading and watching movies at home wasn't such a bad idea. Or not. She would probably be bored out of her skull by the third day of her vacation.

With a sigh, Sakura picked up her coat as she walked out of her office and out of the hospital. It was winter alright; the night air was crisp and cold, causing her to shiver slightly. Thank goodness she didn't live too far from the hospital. It was a quick walk to her apartment. Normally, the boulevard was bustling with people and traffic; yet tonight, it was peacefully quiet. Sakura imagined everyone at home with their loved ones, preparing for tomorrow's Christmas celebrations. As a child, Christmas was her favorite holiday. Everything about Christmas was so special – the preparations, the decorations, the presents, and the festivities. She loved putting up the holiday ornaments on the tree and baking cookies with her mother. Reminiscing over her childhood Christmases, it made her a bit sad that this year's Christmas was going to be nothing like that. She'd been so busy with work that she didn't even get around to putting up a tree this year. On top of that, this was her first Christmas alone. She had been scheduled to go on a mission with Kakashi's team, but a last-minute emergency kept her at the hospital instead. Sakura supposed that the unexpected time off was Tsunade's way of making it up to her.

_All alone on Christmas Eve…_

Sakura shook her head, trying to dispel the negative thought from her mind.

"Sakura!"

Startled, she spun around to see who called her name. The voice was a familiar one, but surely it couldn't be…

"…Kakashi-sensei? What are you doing here? I thought the mission was supposed to last until after Christmas … when did you get back?"

He walked briskly, catching up to her. "Well, it wasn't as difficult as we had expected. We got back couple of hours ago."

"That's good to hear. Is everyone all right? No injuries?"

"We came back without a scratch. All's good."

A small sigh of relief slipped from Sakura's lips. "I'm glad to hear that."

"So, are you on your way home?" Kakashi asked as he walked besides her.

"Yeah, I just got off from my shift at the hospital. Can you believe it? Shishou gave me a week off. A whole entire week of no work!"

"That's nice. It's about time you had a vacation."

"Too bad I have nothing planned – I mean, an hour before the end of my shift she tells me she's giving me a week off. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but geez … some advanced warning would have been nice, you know? Then I could have planned something." Sakura pouted.

Kakashi chuckled. "Well, I'm sure you'll come up with something to do."

"Yeah, I guess so…" Sakura's voice trailed off as she stared down at the ground in front of her. A more immediate concern loomed in her mind. She had no plans for tonight. Glancing up at Kakashi, she thought about what she wanted to ask and wondered if he would agree to spend time with just her. They were usually together with their other teammates, rarely spending time alone. She was nervous over the possibility of being rejected, but even more afraid of being alone on Christmas Eve.

"Say, Kakashi-sensei … did you eat dinner already?"

"Huh? No, not yet. I was busy filling out the post-mission paperwork and it kind of slipped my mind." Kakashi scratched the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle.

"Really? Then why don't you come over to my place? If you don't mind having something simple, that is. I thought I would be stuck at the hospital again, so I didn't prepare anything in advance but I would love to have some company." Sakura smiled hopefully.

"Sure! That sounds wonderful."

Inwardly, Kakashi was relieved that Sakura seemed distracted and did not think that it was strange for him to show up in front of the hospital so late. He did his best to act nonchalant, even though he was there specifically to see her. Truth was he pushed himself and his team to complete the mission as fast as possible because he wanted to be back in Konoha before Christmas. He even convinced Sai to create a huge ink-bird to fly the team back home, allowing them to return much faster than scheduled. He had a hunch that the sudden change of plans would have left Sakura alone during the holidays, and that left him feeling uneasy. He knew she would put on a brave front, but deep down inside … no, he did not want her to be disappointed like that.

Sometimes, he found it hard to believe that of all the members of the original Team Seven, he had grown the closest to Sakura. If anyone had told him years ago that she would be the one he would come to depended upon the most, he would have never believed it. The kunoichi from his genin team was a shallow, lovesick, frivolous little girl. More than once, he thought of recommending her to leave the shinobi profession.

First impressions make lasting impressions and his first impression of Sakura was not a positive one. Unfortunately, that impression colored his perception of her for years to come. Of course, it did not help when Sakura acted rashly in a futile effort to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. Those mishaps only added to his already unfavorable view of her. He knew she was a competent shinobi and a top-notched medic and yet, he often caught himself acting condescending towards her. It was only years later that he realized that Sakura's "misbehaviors" all had a common thread – Sasuke Uchiha. It seemed that she lost all reason and sensibility when it came to her former teammate. Then again, the same could be said for Naruto. As much as he regretted Sasuke's death, he was glad to see how liberating it was for Naruto and Sakura. No longer shackled by guilt and the illusion of bringing back their wayward teammate, Naruto and Sakura both pursued their lives in earnest. It was then that he began to see her – really see her for who she had become, without all the preconceptions and biases that had built up over the years.

During the second bell test, he had told her that they were equals now as Leaf Shinobi, no longer master and student. Although he had spoken those words, Kakashi knew that he didn't live up to them. It was awkward at first, but he made an effort to treat her as a true equal. In turn, she never ceased to surprise him and never let him down. She might not be as crafty as Shikamaru, but her tactical judgments during battle were sound and he soon found himself bouncing ideas with her more and more.

It was Kurenai who had pointed it out to him. "You seem happier these days – did something good happen?"

"The war's about over, shouldn't everyone be happy?" he flippantly replied.

"No, not like that, silly. You, Hatake. _You_ seem happier…" Kurenai smirked. "Hmph, you probably didn't even notice it yourself. You know, for a genius, you can be really dense sometimes."

Damn Kurenai and her cryptic words. But as those words lingered in the back of his mind, he _did_ start to take notice. When Sakura smiled, it made him smile. When she laughed, it brought him joy. When she cried, it tore him up inside and made him want to commit homicide.

So when did friendship and trust grow into something more? He wasn't sure, but he knew that he started noticing all sorts of little details about her that he had previously overlooked. Like the bashful blush she sported after receiving a compliment, the mischievous sparkle in her sea-green eyes…

"…Hey, are you listening?" Sakura huffed, obviously irritated with Kakashi.

"Hmm, what was that Sakura?"

"Gosh, you spaced out on me. I asked what you had in that bag," Sakura asked, pointing to the large gift bag that Kakashi was carrying.

"This," he hoisted up the bag, "is a little something for you from our mission. A souvenir. I think you'll like it."

"Thanks. That's sweet of you to think of me. Well, here we are – home sweet home," she pointed to her apartment building. It was a three story walk-up apartment, typical of the ninja housing in Konoha. The two walked up the steps to Sakura's unit on the third floor. She fumbled through her purse, plucked out her key chain, and unlocked the door.

"Come in. It might be a bit chilly, give me a minute and I'll turn the heater on." Sakura dumped her purse and keys on the counter and walked into her apartment.

This was the first time he was in her apartment. He'd come by to pick her up before but had never actually stepped foot inside. It was neat and orderly, decorated with beige and sage green neutral colors. The color scheme and furnishings were tastefully done; he mentally kicked himself for expecting a pink, frilly décor. The layout was similar to most of the apartments around here with a small kitchen with a dining counter, a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom.

"Can I get you something to drink? Tea, maybe?" Sakura asked as she checked her cupboards.

"No, that's okay. Did you look inside the bag?"

Sakura picked up the bag that Kakashi left on the counter. "Wine! Thank you! Oooh, these look really nice … were did you guys get these?" She carefully pulled out the two bottles of red wine out of the bag.

"The client was a daimyo who came all the way out to the winery to make a purchase. Talk about an oenophile – the man even brought along his own Sommelier to pick out the wines. Anyway, since the mission was to guard him, his entourage and his newly purchased cases of wine, he decided to give us a few bottles as parting gifts. Would you like to try one now?"

"Sure! Let me get the wine glasses … they're all the way up on the top shelf. Darn it, I can't reach them. Can you reach up there?" Sakura pointed to the top shelf of her kitchen cabinet.

"Where, let me see…" Kakashi stood behind Sakura, reaching up to get the glasses. In doing so, he leaned forward slightly and his chest brushed up against her back.

_So close…_ He was tempted to press into her ever closer as Sakura was sandwiched between him and the kitchen counter. The floral fragrance of her shampoo mixed with a hint of her scent was intoxicating. It took all this will power not to get lost in the moment and bury his nose in her silky hair.

_So close…_ She didn't expect him to come up behind her like that. His left hand rested on the counter top for support while he reached up with his right. She felt his chest brush up against her back, causing her breath to hitch. Blood rushed to her head and she was sure her face was glowing bright red.

Reaching over her head, he retrieved the wine glasses and carefully placed them on the counter top. "There. Got them." He stepped away, already missing her warmth. He noticed that her neck looked flush and wondered if he had offended her by standing too close. An awkward silence settled in the room.

"Umm … let me check the fridge. I think I might have some leftovers." Eager to break the tension, Sakura started rummaging around for something to eat. "Why don't you take a seat on the couch and make yourself comfortable?"

"Sure, but let me open these first." Kakashi pulled out a wine key from his pocket and expertly opened both bottles. Keeping a watchful sharingan eye on the sommelier had its benefits.

"You're going to drink them both at once?" Sakura asked, surprised that he opened both bottles.

"No, the cabernet sauvignon needs to breathe a bit – we can start off with this merlot and by the time we're done with it, the cabernet should be ready for drinking."

"You're assuming we're going to polish off both bottles tonight."

"Why not? We both had a long day at work and we both have the day off tomorrow. C'mon, Sakura – relax a bit, won't you? Worst case scenario, I'm sure you have aspirin or some other hangover cure in your medicine cabinet."

In fact, Sakura did have Tsunade's special hangover remedy in her medicine cabinet, but it wasn't the hangover that she was worried about. What concerned her was that the alcohol might lower her inhibitions and cause her to say or do something that she would later regret. Sure, she and Kakashi flirted now and then, but if he knew how deeply she felt about him… Kakashi wasn't into relationships. There was no way she could ever hope for anything like that with him. His friendship meant the world to her and she wasn't about to jeopardize it.

"Here, Sakura." Kakashi held up a glass of wine for Sakura. "Cheers. Merry Christmas." He held up his glass for a toast.

"Merry Christmas. And thanks for the wine." They clinked their glasses and took a sip of the wine.

The evening passed by quickly as they drank and gossiped over the latest events. Sakura found some cheese and crackers along with the leftovers for a simple meal.

"I'm so sorry about not having anything decent to eat, " Sakura apologized.

"Don't worry about it. I'm having a blast. Ready for another drink?" Kakashi reached over for the bottle of wine on the coffee table as he leaned upright from his slouched seating position on the couch.

"Sure, pour me another glass. It's just that … it's Christmas Eve; I don't have a nice dinner prepared and for goodness sakes, I don't even have a Christmas tree this year!"

"So?" Kakashi shrugged. "It's not like you can have a conversation with a tree."

"You're so … ugh, annoyingly pragmatic sometimes. Do you know that?"

Kakashi grinned. It was funny to see Sakura acting so flustered. He was having a wonderful time and wouldn't have wanted anything different.

"Sakura, don't worry about it. I'm having a great time – honestly. I've got some good wine, a bit of food to nibble on, and excellent company. Isn't that what the holidays are all about?"

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts. Drink up. Here's to us." He lifted up his glass and waited for her to do the same.

With another toast, Sakura took a sip of her wine, savoring the garnet liquid. While she was disappointed about not having a traditional Christmas, spending Christmas Eve with Kakashi was more than she could ask for. With just the two of them, he seemed to talk a little more than usual. She felt like he was finally opening up to her.

"Hey Sakura, I know our team decided not to do gift exchanges this year, but is there something that you would like for Christmas?"

Surprised, she shot him a look of disbelief. What would make him say something like that? Then a devilish thought popped in her mind … oh yes; there _was_ something that she wanted … should she dare ask for it?

Sakura cleared her throat. "Actually, there is something I would like."

"Okay. What is it?" Kakashi asked.

"What I would like is … I would really like to see your face without the mask."

"What?" Not expecting that, Kakashi was taken back. "Wait a minute … are you doing this because of that bet you made with Naruto on who sees my face first? Because Naruto saw my face already, so that bet would be moot…"

Sakura chuckled. "No, it's only to satisfy my own curiosity. Naruto told me that you didn't have fish lips or buck teeth and that you looked like a regular guy, whatever that means to him." She saw him cringe at the comment. "Look, it's okay … never mind, let's just forget I said that. It was a silly thing to ask for and I didn't mean to put you on the spot."

Kakashi could only respond by shaking his head side to side. It would have been too easy to take her up on her offer to forget about it, but Kakashi knew that wouldn't have sat well with her. Naruto had seen his bare face and so had Tenzou. Not letting her see his face would be akin to telling her that she wasn't trustworthy or that he held her in less regard than the other two. That was certainly not the case; Sakura was the one person he trusted completely.

"It's nothing special, really." He hooked his index finger on the edge of his mask and pulled it down.

Sakura gasped. Stupid Naruto, what the heck did he mean by "a regular guy"? Kakashi was not "regular," he was gorgeous. His skin was smooth and clean-shaven. A straight nose and chiseled jaw line. His lips were perfect in her opinion – not too thick or too thin. The scar over his left eye only accentuated his masculinity. She didn't mean to stare so openly but she couldn't take her eyes off his naked face. Without thinking, she reached over, her fingertips lightly touching his cheek.

Kakashi thought he would wither under her curious gaze until he felt her cool fingertips lightly caressing his cheek. It tickled and tingled at the same time, sending delicious shivers down his spine.

"Now my turn. I get to ask for something."

"O-okay." Sakura agreed, her voice a bit shaky and hoarse.

"Close your eyes."

Sakura did as she was told. She felt his long fingers gently grasping her wrist. For a moment, she wondered if he was going to take her somewhere. She was about to say something when she felt something press onto her lips – velvety soft and warm, yet ever so slightly firm.

A kiss.

His lips were upon hers, tender yet chaste. The sensation sent shivers up her spine and she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. _He kissed her_. Hope welled up her heart, so much so that she thought it would burst out of her chest. _He kissed her_. Did this mean … did this mean what she thought?

She felt him starting to pull away. She yanked her hand out of his grasp, flung both arms around his neck, and drew him closer. It was her turn now; her lips parted slightly as she slowly licked his lips with the tip of her tongue. He responded likewise, with his tongue darting out to meet hers. Soon, their kiss deepened, taking on an edge of urgency and passion.

Finally, they broke their kiss though they still held tightly onto each other.

"I-I never knew… why?" stammered Sakura.

"I've been crazy about you for a while now. I was afraid you'd pummel me into the ground if I tried to kiss you … I'm glad you didn't," chuckled Kakashi.

Sakura could only stare back at Kakashi. _Did he say he was crazy about her…?_ She was already feeling light-headed from the kiss and hearing those words from him only multiplied the butterflies in her stomach.

Kakashi watched with amusement, as Sakura's expressions flittered across her face. The sultry blush from their kiss morphed into a startled shock, then disbelief, and now a bashful smile as she finally digested the meaning of his words. He had half expected her to slap him across the face when he kissed her. The anxious knot in his stomach was slowly relaxing, being replaced by the realization that she wanted that kiss as much as he did. Still, he couldn't help but wonder if her behavior was simply fueled by the alcohol or if it was something she truly desired. He didn't want to dwell upon that right now, it dredged up too many guilty feelings about taking advantage of his much younger former student.

WHACK! A stinging slap landed on his upper arm, reminding Kakashi how incredibly strong Lady Tsunade's apprentice was.

"Ouch. What was that for?" He asked, gently rubbing the tender spot on his arm.

"You never asked. You were supposed to ask for what you wanted."

"Oh. Okay … Sakura, for Christmas, will you give me a kiss?"

"That's better." She nodded with a triumphant smirk.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"The kiss. Are you going to give me a kiss?" A tendril of anxiety crept up from the pit of his stomach. Perhaps she was coming to her senses and regretting the kiss. Was she just playing with him all along? Maybe it was the alcohol; maybe she sobering up and was going to turn him down after all…

Sakura broke out in a peal of laughter, pointing at the brooding man sitting beside her. "You're too funny, you know that? You look so cute when you're pouting."

"I am _not_ cute and I am _not_ pouting. I'll have you know that the mere mention of my name causes my enemies to quake in their boots." He sulked.

"Yes, yes, I've heard all about the infamous Copy Ninja." She waved him off.

"And what exactly have you heard?" He inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, I heard that you managed to copy over a thousand jutsu with the sharingan … you were formerly in the ANBU and one of the best in Konoha."

"Uh-hmm." He nodded. So far, it was pretty much what everyone knew from his dossier.

An index finger rested on her chin, with her eyes towards the ceiling as she looked over her mental checklist. "You're also one of the most loyal shinobi I've known, always putting the welfare of your comrades ahead of your own. You're a stickler for teamwork, but you're perpetually tardy. Yet somehow, you always manage to show up when you're really needed. You're not a chatterbox, but you're a smooth talker. That's how you manage to con free meals out of poor Captain Yamato. You're a pretty lousy teacher, but you're an excellent commander. You're one of the most respected people in our village."

"But you're also…" she scooted over to him, "quite a pervert."

It thrilled him to have her sitting right next to him, with her thigh pressed up against his leg. "Me? A pervert?" He quirked an eyebrow and pretended to be surprised.

"Oh yes, you are quite a pervert. For starters, you read porn in public. Your favorite book is Icha Icha Paradise. In fact, you have the entire Icha Icha series in both hardcover and paperback."

"Ah, but I'm sure many of other readers do as well."

She could swear his gaze intensified with his eyes narrowing a tiny bit, taking on a slightly predatory look. Suddenly, the room got warmer as her heart started to beat louder. She reached over to her glass and took a large gulp of wine, hoping to quell the nervousness that was building up inside her.

Sakura wasn't about to lose her courage now.

She shifted her weight on her left knee and brought her right leg over Kakashi's lap, straddling him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and gazed into his eyes.

In one move, Sakura had rendered him nearly speechless. She was sitting in what would be a very compromising position and he prayed to the gods that she wouldn't take notice of his rising erection.

"You wanted a kiss, right?"

Kakashi could only nod weakly.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered, as she tilted her head to the side and swooped down to kiss him.

He could taste the wine on her lips – luscious and sweet, with a hint of tannin. Much like Sakura, he decided. He held her gently with one arm around her waist and the other hand slowly caressing her back. While their first kiss was urgent, their second kiss was much slower and more deliberate. He hoped that this kiss would convey the feelings and desire that he had for her. Savoring softness of her lips, he explored her mouth unhurried with his tongue. Tenderly, he sucked on her lower lip, drawing out a hushed moan. He kissed her on the side of her mouth, her cheek, and then traced the shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue. From there, he moved on to kissing her neck, eliciting another heady moan from her.

"Say Kakashi … can we move to someplace a little more comfortable?

"What do you mean?"

Sakura stood up then reached out to take his hand. "It's a bit cramped on this couch…"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow, surprised by her bold request. "Are you sure?"

Sakura smiled and nodded. She gave his hand a quick squeeze and a tug.

He had heard that girls these days were just as assertive as boys, but it was unexpected to hear Sakura being this forward. It seemed there was still a lot he didn't know about his pink-haired teammate.

"You do know what you're doing…"

She shot him a fierce look that was both intimidating and sexy, all rolled up in one. If a man valued his life (and his private parts), he knew not to go against a woman with that look.

He sighed, acknowledging his defeat. With that, Kakashi stood up and let her lead the way to her bedroom.

~TBC~


End file.
